The present invention is concerned with a method and system for mould tool supply resource management. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a method and system for the management of a plurality of mould tools, each of which utilises fluid-based heating.
It is known to control the temperature of a mould tool using a heated fluid, as shown for example in the applicant's earlier patent application published under WO2011/048365.
The applicant's as yet unpublished patent application, GB 1113658.7, discloses a type of mould tool comprising a number of individual heated elements. Compressed air is fed into a fluid chamber of each element and selectively heated by an inline air heater at the inlet to each chamber in order to dynamically control the temperature of the tool face. The mould tool can thereby be heated and cooled (by deactivating the heater).
Air heated mould tools require both electrical power for the heater and a source of compressed air. Sometimes a compressor is provided which itself requires electrical power. Generally, the compressor will have a limited output dependent upon ifs performance. Therefore the number of tools that can be run simultaneously is limited by two factors—the electrical power and compressed air available at any given time. The maximum electrical power requirement of such a mould tool can be determined by calculating the maximum power to be consumed when all of the zones are heating the tool, i.e. are “full on”.
The maximum compressed air requirement of such a mould tool can be determined by calculating the maximum compressed air to be consumed when all of the zones are cooling the tool. Manufacturing facilities generally have a peak electrical power capacity, which may be determined by e.g. the capabilities of the power infrastructure. As described above, the peak compressed air flow rate is limited by the air supply system (whether by compressor or stored in tanks).
If multiple mould tools are installed in a single facility, according to the prior art the maximum number of mould tools is based on a summation of their combined maximum resource requirement. By “resource” we mean consumable utility, in particular electrical power or compressed air This limits the number of mould tools present in a given facility.